Both wheeled and tracked work vehicles, such as a bulldozer, may include a PAT (power angle tilt) blade for pushing, shearing, carrying, and spreading dirt and other material. Hydraulic cylinders are often used to control the orientation of the blade relative to the ground. Spherical bearings coupled between the hydraulic cylinders and the blade allow for the adjustment of the angle, tilt, and pitch of the blade. However, axial play in the spherical bearing has been found to reduce the precision of the blade control. In systems utilizing integrated grade control, the axial play of the spherical bearing may cause the control system to repeatedly correct the position of the blade, resulting in increased wear on the spherical bearing, the blade, and the blade control mechanisms. Further, replacement of the spherical bearing leads to significant vehicle downtime.